Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee introduced the city's inaugural five-year plan, a blueprint designed to align Hong Kong's development with China's broader national strategy. This plan, which outlasts Lee's current term, was unveiled alongside his fifth and final policy address and is seen as an important step towards policy continuity and stability.
The plan sets out a comprehensive vision for Hong Kong's economic and social development. Key goals include boosting innovation spending from 1.63% to 3% of GDP by after 2030, increasing the value added of the tourism industry by 40-50%, and aiming for a 25% increase in non-local students in post-secondary education. Socially, it targets an increase in the ratio of doctors to the population from 2.25 per 1,000 to 2.43 by 2030.
Environmental objectives are also central, with binding targets such as increasing zero-carbon energy in electricity generation from 25% to 30% by 2030 and reducing PM2.5 air pollutant particles. The plan heavily emphasizes the Northern Metropolis megaproject, with binding targets for a 750% cumulative increase in "spade-ready sites" and a 640% increase in completed housing units. The plan includes 22 indicators, with 17 being anticipatory goals and five binding targets, mirroring Beijing's evaluation framework.
